Eye Bags had a chance to trade Burrows and or Edler, perhaps move the bible thumper in a package with a more attractive asset ( Tanev perhaps), but he chose to sit on his hands a la Brian Burke/Pat Quinn. The more things change the more they stay the same.

Same old stale core that is 2 and 12 in its last 14 playoff games. I wonder if Santorelli got a NTC being an Italian and a local boy.

This team makes the playoffs again this year, and will have a chance to compete. Perhaps if Gillis keeps some cap space for once he can add a meaningful player at the deadline. I'm fine with trying some of the youth, and I'm sure they aren't done adding just yet.

coco_canuck wrote:If Gaunce or Lain can't crack the line-up, where is the infusion of size to the bottom 6 coming from?

Sestito is big but I'll be impressed if he stick with this team the entire season, let alone next year.

I'd like Weise better if he were the 13th forward, not expected to be a staple on the 4th.

I think the 4th line can be very effective with Richardson at C if he has two big wingers who are good on the forecheck.

Hence the opinion of Weise and Sestito?

Although I think that Weise has the wheels to be a good forechecker, Sestito does not.

I seriously doubt Sestito will be anything more than a 13th forward type. Even a guy like Archibald might be better as a 4th line banger, Sestito just isn't fast enough to get in on the forecheck. There's still a few guys left in free agency that might work, guys like Brandon Yip are available for likely a minimum salary.

Yip/Richardson/anyone isn't going to wear opponents down.. and given Yip got his walking papers from a team with maybe the worst forward group in the league I doubt he'll be effective enough to make up for that.

coco_canuck wrote:If Gaunce or Lain can't crack the line-up, where is the infusion of size to the bottom 6 coming from?

Sestito is big but I'll be impressed if he stick with this team the entire season, let alone next year.

I'd like Weise better if he were the 13th forward, not expected to be a staple on the 4th.

I think the 4th line can be very effective with Richardson at C if he has two big wingers who are good on the forecheck.

Another thing to think about though is having someone who can actually play hockey skill wise on the 3rd/4th line, our greatest weakness is the lack of scoring goals after the Sedin line, so with that I'm hoping Santorelli can somehow be added on the 3rd or 4th line, good on faceoffs and shootouts to boot.

As for Guance and Lain I really hope one of them can play well enough to make the squad.

Benjo wrote:The Canucks are so offense starved as it is I'd rather not trade one of our leading goal scorers for a 3rd line centre.

It's a risk needed imo, gambling that Kassian playing full time with the twins - he should be able to become at least a 25 goal scorer.

Not to mention we are severely depleted down the middle and with the risk of injury looming around Kesler every game now, it's imperative we find a solid 3rd line center who can move up when RK inevitably gets injured again.

Plus if this 3rd line center we could acquire for Burr can put up decent points, I think its worth the risk for trading Burrows and his $4.5M cap hit.

I do not understand what Zach showed you folks last season that would have you play him with the Sedins. Yes they had a hot start, but after that, despite getting 1st shift after a PK, nothing. Zach finished the season as a 3rd line player. How has he miraculously earned first line duty?

I'm not sure if Kassian is ready for permanent top 6 duty but unless Gaunce or Horvat can play the 3rd line C role that includes lots of defensive responsibilities, it will fall on Kesler's line to be the shut-down crew again.

If that's the case, I would like to see a Higgins-Kesler-Burrows line.

But if Kassian can't hack it on line 1, you move Burrows back to the 1st line and go with: Higgins-Kesler-Hansen and drop Kassian to the 3rd with Booth and whoever the 3rd C is.

You could probably get away with a Schroeder or Santorelli as the 3rd line C if you play that line protected minutes and have big physical wingers such as Booth and Kasian flanking him.

Still, having Santorelli or Richardson as the 3rd line C is far from ideal.

Captain obvious here, but the 3rd line C and Kassian's ability to be a productive top 9 forward are the two biggest questions that need to be answered for us to be real contenders again.